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“FIFI’s” first flight with new engines

PLAY MOVIE

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Meet Keville Miller

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Agenda● The Story of the B-29 Superfortress● “FIFI’s” story● “FIFI’s” new mission● “FIFI’s” 2010-2011 Adventures● B-29/B-24 Squadron - Our Mission, Planes and People● Support “FIFI”● Q&A

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History of the B-29 Superfortress

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Heavy Bombers of WW2

Avro Lancaster (British)

B-17 Flying Fortress (U.S.)

B-24 Liberator (U.S.)

B-29 Superfortress (U.S.)

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1940 Dayton, OH ● Boeing gets contract to build the next super

bomber. ● 3 weeks later, Model 341 Design is ready

Phillip JohnsonPresident & General ManagerBoeing Airplane Co.

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Six Desireables● Pressurized aircraft● Tricycle landing gear● Greater speed● Greater range● Bomb capacity● Bomb payload interchangeability

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Pass around “FIFI” Skin / Fabric

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Meeting the desireables…plus! ● Electronically-controlled remote control guns● Increased armor● Norden bomb site● Self-sealing fuel tanks

The design, development and manufacturingof the B-29 Superfortress cost

$1B more than the Manhattan Project

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Maximum Speed (at 25,000 ft.) …………………………………………………………………..310 mphCruising Speed …………………………………………………………………………………………….220 mphService Ceiling ……………………………………………………………………………………………..33,000 ft.Gross Weight (military load) …………………………………………………………………….147,000 lbs.Wing Span ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..141 ft.Fuselage Length …………………………………………………………………………………………………99 ft.Range …………………………………………………………………………………………… 3,700-4,500

milesStandard armament ……………………………………………………….12 .50 caliber machine gunsBomb load…………………………………………………………………………………………………20,000 lbs.Fuel Capacity

Wing Tanks…………………………………………………………….5,828 gals.Center Tank …………………………………………………………1,120 gals.

Oil Capacity (each engine) …………………………………………………………………………….85 gals.Engines …………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Wright Cyclone

18-cylinder R-3350 2,200 HP each

B-29 Military Specifications

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Boeing B-29 compared to Boeing 737

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Where would the Superfortresses be built?

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Who built them?

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Component makersRoyal Typewriter, Connecticut 

Singer Sewing Machine

Bausch and Lomb, New York

Chrysler, Chicago

Kodak, New York

DeSoto, Texas 

Firestone, Ohio

BF Goodrich, Ohio

AO Smith

Globe Crayon, Ohio

American Desk, Texas     

- made small parts for aircraft engines

- made computers for the B29 CFC

- made dome doors, binoculars,Norden Bomb Site parts reflectors for searchlights

- Wright 3350 engines

- gunsights

- pressurized nose sections, leading edges, engine cowlings

- gun turrets, tire tubes

- landing gears, life raft fabric

- propeller blades, landing gears, nose gears, nose assemblies

- stitching wax for fabric on planes, scouring powder to keep them shiney

- Shell cases for ammunition

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Pass around “FIFI” spark plug

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Troublesome Wright R-3350 Engines

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Test Flights – Triumph and Tragedy

Eddie Allen, Chief B-29 Test Pilot

Bob RobbinsFirst flight, September 17, 1942

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“Battle of Kansas”44 percent of all B-29’s made in Kansas

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B-29 Crew● 11 man crew● Training

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B-29 Crew ● Aircraft Commander● Pilot● Bombardier● Navigator● Flight Engineer● Radio Operator● CFC Officer● Left Gunner● Right Gunner● Radar Operator● Tail Gunner

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Aircraft Commander and Pilot

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Bombardier

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Navigator

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Flight Engineer

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Radio Operator

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Central Fire Control OfficerLeft and Right Gunners

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Radar Operator

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Tail Gunner

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Testimonials from B-29 Veterans

PLAY MOVIE

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The Beginning of Service – India/China“Flying over the Hump”

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Attacking Japan - Challenges and Hardships ● Runway Construction and Chinese laborers

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Attacking Japan - Challenges and Hardships

167,285 trips740,000 tons of materials701 major accidents460 aircraft lost792 men lost

● Munitions, Supplies, Fuel, Equipment

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Attacking Japan20th Air ForceCBI Operations

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Attacking Japan - Challenges and Hardships● Weather● Jet Stream● BTO

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First B-29 Strike Against Japan● June 15, 1944● 68 B-29’s take off from bases around Chengdu. ● 49 reach target and bomb the Imperial Iron and

Steel Works at Yahata, Japan● Three B-29’s lost on mission● Only one bomb strikes factory

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B-29 Commanders

General Henry “Hap” Arnold

General Curtis Lemay and Brigadier General Haywood Hansell

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Early Missions - Disappointing Results● Taking in all factors involved in high altitude bombing, it could take 400 B-29’s to assure the destruction of one industrial target

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The Foe

Artwork by Jim Dietz

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Japanese fighters

Shiden ZekeZeke

Oscar

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Anti-Aircraft Flak

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Aerial “Kamikaze”

Artwork by Roy Grinnell

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Pass around .50 cal bullet

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Debating the costs in lives and planes

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To Fight Another Day

Artwork by Brian Bateman

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Marianas Campaign – Taking Saipan, Guam and Tinian

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Seabees

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Tinian

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Primitive living conditions

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Ground Crews

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Ground Crews

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Ground Crews – filler-up!

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Bombs carried by the B-29

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Nose Art

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B-29 Nose Art

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B-29 Tail Markings

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Importance of Battle of Iwo Jima

Artwork by John Shaw

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Change in Bombing Strategy

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Change in Bombing Strategy● Incendiaries● Target Cities● Low Altitude● Night Raids

“Operation Meetinghouse”Night of March 10, 1945334 B-29s dropping incendiaries267,000 buildings; ~25% of city destroyed100,000 people killed

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Civilian Warning Leaflet

Dear Japanese Citizens,Don’t you want to save your, your families’ or your friends’ lives? If you do, please read this note carefully.Within a few days, the US Air Force will attack military facilities in 4 or 5 cities which are listed on the back of this paper.There are military bases and/or manufacturing facilities that produce military related products in these cities. The US Air Force will destroy all military equipment which is used for this war that Japan has no chance to win. We don’t know where the bomb will fall exactly since the bomb has no eyes. Since America is humanitarian, we don’t want to hurt innocent people. Please stay away from these cities.You are not America’s enemy. The Japanese military that is dragging on this war is our enemy. We can help to build a better Japan and your peaceful life without Japanese military pressure.Why don’t you find a new leader who can stop this war?There is a possibility that other cities will be attacked, but we will surely attack at least 4 cities on the back of this paper.We are warning you in advance to stay away from the cities listed on the back.Tokyo, Ujiyamada, Tsu, Koriyama, Hakodate, Nagaoka, Uwajima, Kurume, Ichinomiya, Ogaki, Nishinomiya

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Hiroshima and Nagasaki

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Korean War

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B-29’s based at Okinawa

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New Tactics – Dangerous Enemy

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B-29 role in Korea evolves

F-84 Thunderjet

● Tanker● Transport● Jets carry

nukes

November 1, 1954USAF retires the lastB-29 from service

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What happened to B-29’s that survived the war?

Scrap, Target practice, forgotten

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“Enola Gay” at National Air & Space Museum